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Printed on 7/20/2026
For informational purposes only. This is not medical advice.
GDS-15 is a brief geriatric-focused depression screening tool designed to reduce somatic symptom bias in older populations and support quick mood triage in outpatient, inpatient, and community settings.
Formula: GDS-15 total = sum of depressive-keyed responses (0-15).
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The older adult patient answers 15 yes/no questions about their mood over the past week. The scale was specifically designed for verbal or written administration in elderly patients and avoids somatic symptom items that overlap with normal aging and physical illness.
Most items score 'Yes' as the depressive response (1 point), but 5 items are reverse-scored (items 1, 5, 7, 11, 13 where 'No' = 1 point). Sum all depressive-keyed responses for a total of 0-15.
Score interpretation: 0-4 = normal; 5-8 = mild depression; 9-11 = moderate depression; 12-15 = severe depression. The clinical screening threshold of ≥6 (some protocols ≥5) has sensitivity ~86%, specificity ~78% for major depression. Positive screens require clinical diagnostic evaluation.
Geriatricians & Internists
GDS-15 is the standard depression screening tool in geriatric medicine, designed specifically for older adults with language optimized for readability and items validated in populations with multiple medical comorbidities.
Primary Care Physicians
USPSTF recommends depression screening for all adults including the elderly. GDS-15 is the preferred validated tool for patients aged 65 and older in primary care, avoiding somatic items that PHQ-9 uses which may be confounded by age-related symptoms and chronic illness.
Nursing Home Staff & Social Workers
Depression affects 15-25% of nursing home residents and is chronically under-recognized in long-term care settings. GDS-15 can be administered verbally to residents and provides a standardized, validated screen for depression requiring staff follow-up.
Discharge Planners & Home Health Nurses
Depression following hospitalization dramatically increases readmission risk and mortality in older adults. GDS-15 administered at discharge or during early post-discharge follow-up identifies patients needing mental health referral alongside medical management.
Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Care Teams
Depression co-occurs with early dementia in up to 40% of patients and worsens functional outcomes. GDS-15 is valid in cognitively intact and mildly impaired patients (MMSE ≥12-15), enabling regular depression monitoring in dementia care plans.
Unlike PHQ-9, GDS-15 deliberately excludes somatic items (sleep problems, appetite changes, fatigue, energy) that overlap with normal aging and chronic physical illness in older adults. This specificity is critical — PHQ-9 frequently over-screens in elderly populations due to somatic symptom confounding.
GDS-15 requires reliable self-report and is not valid when MMSE falls below approximately 12-15 (moderate-to-severe dementia). For patients with advanced dementia, use the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) — an observational clinician-rated tool not requiring self-report.
Depression in older adults is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, accelerated cognitive decline, disability, and mortality. Yet approximately 50% of late-life depression goes untreated in primary care. Routine GDS-15 screening is essential to identify this undertreated condition.
Despite lower attempt rates, elderly adults — particularly white men over 85 — have the highest suicide completion rates of any age group. Firearm access is a major risk factor. Always assess suicidal ideation in patients with positive GDS-15 scores, particularly depressed elderly men.
When treating late-life depression, SSRIs are first-line (sertraline and escitalopram preferred). Paroxetine should be avoided in the elderly due to strong anticholinergic effects causing cognitive impairment, urinary retention, and falls. Tricyclic antidepressants are also contraindicated in elderly patients.
Aerobic exercise has robust evidence for improving depression symptoms in older adults, with effect sizes comparable to antidepressants in mild-moderate depression. Exercise is recommended alongside or instead of pharmacotherapy for older adults with mild depression or those unable to tolerate medication.
Depression and dementia frequently co-occur and can clinically resemble each other — 'pseudodementia' (depression presenting with cognitive deficits) can mimic dementia. GDS-15 positive + cognitive impairment warrants trial of antidepressant before assuming dementia diagnosis, as depression-related cognitive impairment is reversible with treatment.
GDS-15 should be repeated at 4-6 weeks after treatment initiation to assess response. A ≥50% reduction in GDS-15 score indicates treatment response. Persistent elevation despite adequate antidepressant treatment warrants referral to geriatric psychiatry for more complex assessment and management.
GDS-30 original by Yesavage et al. (J Psychiatr Res 1982-83). GDS-15 shortened version by Sheikh & Yesavage (Clin Gerontol 1986). GDS-15 sensitivity 86%, specificity 78% for depression in community-dwelling elderly. Validated in cognitively intact nursing home residents and primary care. Not valid in MMSE <12. USPSTF Grade B recommendation for depression screening in all adults including elderly. AGS (American Geriatrics Society) and NICE recommend GDS-15 for routine geriatric depression screening.
Higher GDS-15 scores indicate greater late-life depressive symptom burden and support formal mood evaluation.
Use for depression screening in older adults across primary care, geriatric, and long-term care contexts.
GDS-15 depends on reliable self-report and may be less accurate in severe cognitive impairment or communication limitations without supportive assessment.
For related assessments, see PHQ-9, MDI Depression Scale and MoCA Score.
Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your health.
April 21, 2026 · trust-baseline
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